Corporate social responsibility – Equal responsibility

Project Ability has been creating innovative visual arts programmes for children and adults with disabilities and people with mental health problems for twenty years, writes Kirstin Bannerman.
It is based in a fully accessible gallery and workshop space at the Centre for Developmental Arts in Glasgow. For the past five years, Britannic Asset Management (BAM), a Glasgow based fund-management company, has sponsored Project Ability?s annual exhibition programme.

In order to secure this sponsorship, the collaboration had to fulfil a series of objectives. Project Ability needed to demonstrate evidence of reliable funding, a proven track record for quality, and above all a commitment to investing in people within the local area. The association needed to be a unique sponsorship opportunity that would clearly benefit the employees of Britannic.

Project Ability, which had previously only experienced small-scale sponsorships, set out to establish a mutually beneficial, flexible agreement that would not compromise its artistic integrity. Patently, though, the sponsorship was not simply a philanthropic gesture on Britannic?s part. It was to be a valuable business tool for Britannic to promote the fulfilment of its own corporate social responsibility policies through investment in the local community. Francis Ghiloni, sales and marketing director at Britannic comments: ?Companies today should be mindful of the social, environmental and ethical matters when setting corporate standards and defining company policy. Our close relationship with Project Ability is an excellent example of how we are fulfilling some of these objectives at a local level.?

There have been clear benefits for both companies. From a practical point of view, the income has enabled Project Ability to present and promote exhibitions to a higher professional standard. More can be spent on mounting and framing work and on the quantity and quality of printed materials. Britannic?s logo is prominently displayed on all exhibition literature and in any other relevant advertising. The company also encourages its employees to engage in the arts by publicising opportunities to attend private viewings and exhibitions through the company intranet.

In addition, Britannic has provided in-kind sponsorship by offering professional expertise in web design, PR and marketing. A dedicated exhibition space within its corporate headquarters offers a showcase for Project Ability?s participants to exhibit new artwork every four months. The initial purpose of this was to enhance aesthetically Britannic?s working environment for staff and visitors and also to help raise Project Ability?s profile and to sell the work of its artists. Over the years the exhibition space in Britannic?s offices has proved to be a lucrative outlet, with staff and clients regularly purchasing pieces. Recently, both companies agreed to extend the contract for a further three years with the aim of introducing new elements into the relationship. Project Ability may develop a small online gallery on Britannic?s website or introduce taster workshops for employees who are interested in the visual arts.

For a relatively small organisation like Project Ability, the security of having a sustained period of sponsorship allows the company to take a long-term approach in the forward planning of the exhibition programme. For Britannic it may be less commercially-driven than other sponsorships but more importantly, in this age of corporate social responsibility, it demonstrates to staff and clients that it is actively putting something back into the community.

Kirstin Bannerman is Development Assistant for Project Ability t: 0141 552 2822;
e: [email protected];
w: http://www.project-ability.co.uk.
Britannic received a visionary sponsorship award from Scottish Arts & Business in 2001.